Migrant labourer’s minor girl allegedly raped
Ludhiana, December 12
In a hair-raising incident, an unknown paedophile allegedly raped a three-year-old girl of a migrant labourer and left her to die in
agricultural fields near Jassian village this morning. Two women labourers who had gone to the field for some work spotted the badly-bleeding semi-conscious child and saved her from certain death.

Ludhianvis shiver at 3.8°C
Ludhiana, December 12
With the minimum temperature falling to 3.8°C Ludhianvis are shivering as the cold wave continues to persist in the region.
Besides throwing normal life out of gear, the weather is also affecting the arrival and reaching time of a number of trains.

Ragpickers keep the cold at bay by lighting a camp fire in Ludhiana on Monday.
— Photo by Inderjit Verma

Peanuts and time pass go hand in hand
Ludhiana, December 12
Time Pass! monkey nuts, ground nuts, peanuts, nuts that delight and provide a lot of proteins can be seen on carts, heaped in small mounds, being roasted in some shops. In fact peanuts are visible everywhere during winter season.

A family roasting peanuts in a homemade clay oven in the walled city.
— Photo by Sayeed Ahmed

NHRC refuses to take up suicide case
Ludhiana, December 12
Ending the last hope of a father of an IAS aspirant, who had committed suicide allegedly under pressure from a bureaucrat, the National Human Rights Commission has refused to take up his case, claiming that it was time-barred.

Ludhiana, December 12
The state of human rights in Pakistan is improving gradually. People belonging to far-flung undeveloped areas have become aware about their rights now. Poverty is the root cause of majority of crimes in Pakistan.

Members of a Pakistani judicial delegation are welcomed at the Sutlej Club in Ludhiana on Monday.
— A Tribune photograph

Cong against suggestions of Delimitation Commission
Khamano, December 12
The Punjab Congress is opposed to the suggestions recommended by the Delimitation Commission about constituencies because these are against the directions of the Election Commission.
This was stated by Punjab Congress chief Shamsher Singh Dullo while
talking to mediapersons after the inauguration of the new building of
Government Senior Secondary School at Sanghol, near here.

Ludhiana, December 12
As the Vijay Divas is only four days away, the city is preparing to pay tributes to war heroes belonging to this district.
The war heroes, who laid down their lives fighting for the country’s honour in
the 1971 Indo-Pak war, would be saluted on the day in a function specially
organised in the mini secretariat.

Workers spruce up the statue
of Flying Officer, Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, as the mini
secretariat in Ludhiana on Monday. — Photo by Inderjit Verma

Syal’s photograph again wins a prize
Ludhiana, December 12
Rakesh Syal a Ludhiana-based photographer, has won second place for October for the third time in the prestigious photography contest sponsored by BetterPhoto.com, the site’s founder, Jim Miotke, announced last Saturday.

The photograph of cart race at Kila Raikot that won Rakesh Syal an
award. — A Tribune photograph

Woman burnt in kitchen mishap dies
Mandi Ahmedgarh, December 12
A married Dalit woman of Akalgarh village in Ludhiana district, who had caught fire due to bursting of stove, succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Ludhiana.
As she had stated in her dying statement that nobody was responsible for the
incident, the police handed over her body to her relatives after conducting a
post-mortem and registering a report under Section 174 of the CrPC.

Marigolds in full bloom at Maharaja Ranjit Singh War Museum seem to be offering their tribute to the Sikh ruler in Ludhiana on Monday.
— Tribune photo Sayeed Ahmed

SDM holds grievances committee meeting
Khanna, December 12
Stern action will be taken against encroachers on government land, SDM, Khanna, Mr Jaspal Mittal, said while addressing a grievances committee meeting here today.
Mr Mittal said complaints of illegal encroachments in various areas of the city
and villages of the subdivision had been received.

Revenue patwaris observe ‘sadbhavna divas’
Ludhiana, December 12
The Revenue Patwar Union, Punjab, today called upon the state government to accept the long-pending demands of revenue
patwaris. Gurmel Singh, state president of the body, addressing a ‘sadbhavna divas’ function of the union at Old Tehsil Complex here today, demanded justice for the revenue staff.

Sahota is MC chief
Mandi Gobindgarh, December 12
The Congress has become a well-organised and disciplined party to face any challenge from the Shiromani Akali Dal, asserted Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, President, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, today at a function organised by Municipal Council, Mandi Gobindgarh, to elevate Mr Jagmeet Singh Sahota as president for the remaining 30-month term of the council.

Employees’ union holds meeting
Ludhiana, December 12
The Government Class IV Employees Union (Education Department) held its meeting in the park adjoining New Courts here today. The meeting was presided over by the president of the union, Mr Harbhajan Singh.

Three held on charge of wheat theft
Mandi Ahmedgarh,
December 12
The Sudhar police has arrested three persons and booked four others for allegedly stealing 26 quintal of wheat from godowns owned by PUNSUP at Halwara four days ago.
A total of 11.5 quintal of wheat, along with three horses and carts used
in the crime, have also been recovered.

Four held on assault charge
Jagraon, December 12
The Raikot police has arrested four persons on the charge of assaulting a person of Dhalian village.
According to information available, Mukhtiar Singh, Karamjit Singh,
Manpreet Singh, Kuldip Singh and Maghar Singh of Dhalian had assaulted
Gurmit Singh of the same village with weapons.

Two killed in road accident
Khamano, December 12
Two persons died on the spot and four others were seriously injured in a road accident on Ludhiana - Chandigarh
road, near Ranwan village, involving three vehicles.

Fast-food joints out to
woo customers
Ludhiana, December 12
To meet the cut-throat competition in food industry and to woo customers, the fast-food joint owners in the city are trying it hard to bring-in variety, uniqueness and comfort at their restaurants.

Unions to intensify stir against closure of units
Ludhiana, December 12
The brewing discontent and unrest among labour organisations against the closure of two Hero group industrial units in the city might culminate into an intensified struggle against what the affected industrial work force described as repression let loose by the management against the workers.

3 schools for slum kids inauguratedLudhiana, December 12Mr Harnam Dass Johar, Education Minister of Punjab, has informed that under the Education Guarantee Scheme for children of 6 to 14 years of age group, and under the Sarv Sikhia Abhyan Programme of the government, New Informal Schools based on minimum 20 children are being set up in slum areas/jhuggi dwelling units in the state.

Students of Nankana Sahib School present a dance at the annual prize distribution function in Kila Raipur on Monday.
— A Tribune photograph

Cultural bonanzaLudhiana, December 12
A “cultrual bonanza” 2005 was organised the DRV DAV Centenary College , Phillaur here yesterday. Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha was the chief guest.
Addressing the students, he said a good teacher could produce good students and these students could further brighten the future of the country.

Radiofrequency ablation opens new vistas in
dermatologyLudhiana, December 12A study conducted in the Department of Dermatology at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital here has concluded that radiofrequency ablation is a better therapeutic modality in the treatment of viral diseases and benign tumours of skin as it is associated with less post-procedure complications, lesser number of sittings, good therapeutic response and blood-less field, making it more cost-effective.

Mop-up polio campaign continuesLudhiana, December 12
The three-day mop-up polio drive in the district continued for the second day with the field staff of the Health Department, along with volunteers from NGOs, service club and Education Department visiting door-to-door to administer polio drops to children between the 0-5 age group official sources in the department claimed that nearly 70 per cent of a total 5.22 lakh eligible children in the district were covered on the first day at 2100 polio vaccination booths set up in the city and rural areas.

Deepinder gets awardLudhiana, December 12
Dr Deepinder Singh, Associate Professor, Lord Mahavir Homoeopathic Hospital, Ludhiana , has been given the Preet Lari Award for his book ‘Kanchan
Kaya’.
Mr M.P. Singh, Secretary, Higher Education and Languages, at a state-level function held at Bhasha Bhavan, Patiala, presented him the award on the concluding day of Punjabi Language Week.

Civic apathy at cycling meetLudhiana, December 12The approach of the Doraha Municipal Council and other local officials seem to be indifferent as none of them was present yesterday as well as today at Doraha, the venue of the 25th BSA Asian Cycling Championship.More than 500 participants from 24
countries have been taking part in a road races on the 17.5 km stretch
between Doraha and Khanna.

Cyclists in action during a
road race on Monday, the second day of the 25th BSA Asian
Cycling Championship, being held at Doraha, near Ludhiana. — A
Tribune photograph

Annual sports festival endsLudhiana, December 12
The 11th edition of the annual sports festival organised by the Yuvak Sevavan Sports Club under the ageis of the Punjab Rural Sports Promotion Council at Lalton Kalan village, about 10 km from here, concluded yesterday.
In the handball final, Punjab Police XI beat Government College, Ludhiana,
22-18.